Lavander and the hopeful Love
by Sighcoe
Summary: HieiXKeiko one shot. Keiko was shuttered upon hearing Yusuke's death... But someone, something is there to comfort her... Please R


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Disclaimer Applied:

Note: The story is pure fiction, not literally link in the real story.

Rating: PG 13 for a slight lime. 

Character: Keiko and the abstruse man. Find out who he is.

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Lavender (Hopeful Love)

Yukimura Keiko cried herself to sleep again. It's been a month since she learns that Yusuke died – for real – in Makai. Her heart had been altogether broken and shattered. It hurts her so much knowing that she'll never be able to see her bestfriend, lover and brother again. The last thing she was able to stay in touch with him was when he said goodbye to him six months ago – it was springtime – and now it's already the coldest of season, Winter.

Cold North wind blew roughly at her windowpane, rattling the close glass plane. Some chilly air manages to escape in, kissing her body with it's freezing lips. Keiko huddles much deeper into her thick cot, momentarily drifting to reality as she pulled her warm blanket to her chin.

Half-open eyes started to doze off again, as tears once more fell out from huge honey-colored eyes that moisten the thick long eyelashes framing it. She curled up in a more tepid position before closing her eyes altogether.

She knew it was only an hour before she had fallen asleep, but her senses awaken her knowing that something, someone was in the room with her. Her eyes tried to adjust in the dimness of the room, but with no avail. She was quite aghast with the pure darkness that envelop through her berth. She was contemplating whether she was dreaming or not when she felt something move beside her. Something warm and soft settled beside her, an arm embracing her whole body as if cuddling her. She stiffened a bit as she felt herself being cradled into a warm flesh – a human body.

The temperate breath coming from the interloper touches the skin of her neck, and this somewhat relaxes her. 

Still, her eyes where wide awake staring at the ceiling of blackness, unmoving. She was lying beside a person, who at that moment was hugging her, buried in her bulky quilt the same as her as though it's the most natural thing in the world.

"Still not sleepy?" the person asks.

"Don't know." She answered timidly. Once again she clutched her cover closely at her body together with the person alongside. She moves on her side, burying her head on the personages' chest then slowly closing her eyes.

Her body was sleeping but her mind was still wide-awake. She doesn't know who was that certain someone she's sleeping with. What she only knew was that the mysterious person was a blade. 

*~~~~*

The whole thing started the night Kurama and the rest delivered the shattering news. She had cried the whole night, closing herself alone in the room. Even with no more tears to shed, she still whims on her bed feeling everything but actually nothing. Her body where numb, and her mind was blank. 

After a couple of hours pass the evening, she suddenly feels as if the whole room darkened. It took place when a strong winter wind blows at her window, forcing it to open up. Just after that, she looks up from her fetus position straining her eyes around her. Only the complete darkness of the room greeted her.

With her confuse mind, she put aside the uncanny incident and continue to fondle at her own self-pity. She was tangled at her mattress when she felt a move in her bunk. Something transits beside her, then slowly touches her. She tried to pry away, but she tediously felt that she's being comforted by a pair of strong arms that pulled her into a sitting position and grazes her into a wide warm chest. She at first was taken aback at the irony of the situation, but later, with all the loneliness and sadness she's feeling, she let the lone stranger embrace her in a way she find very comforting.

It was not like her to do that, but the feeling is beyond explanation. She felt at peace and momentarily at lost with her heartbreak when those arms enclose around her. 

It was a dumb thing to do, this she knows. She doesn't even know who was that person she's embracing, but her close mind seems not to register this. For at that moment, she felt at peace. 

The occurrence happens every night, every time she shed a tear for despair. And each morning when she wakes up, she'll find a peace of lavender beside her – in the exact spot where the stranger lays -and petals of plum blossom around her bed and the entire room. One would think it's spring, but the satire was that outside, the whole town was covered with flakes of snow blown by Frost. 

*~~~~~*

Two-honey orb greets the lazy morning light. She struggle into sitting position rubbing her eyes in a child like manner. She once again looks around her, then taking the violet floweret in her hand, softly smelling it in a manner. A small smile grace her comely face as she struggle to get out of her bed, long chocolate hair scattered behind her back covering her modest white sleeping gown.

The floor was cold at her feet as she made her way toward the small private bathroom. She faces the mirror.

A fragile looking girl stare back at her. Two expressive puff eyes wonder back. At her 18th summer, she still demeanor a girl in her 14th year. She cocked a wistful smile that made her unhappy appearance more charming.

"I'm fine. Today is a new day. I'm a new person. Keiko, stop crying, you can't do anything. Be strong. Yusuke would hate you if he found out that you're being so pathetic." She told herself. With that, she tried to put a relieve smile on her face.

*~~~~~*

Later that afternoon, she went to Genkai's temple. It was somewhat been called by the keeper herself. She don't know why she needed to be there, after all she never been part of the group. The only thing that associates her with them was Yusuke, but now he's gone she couldn't find any reason at all. But then, she respected Genkai so much and she consider Yukina, Shizuku and Botan as a close female friend while Kurama and Kazuma as a good companion. 

She drags her self up the stair closing her waistcoat in her body. The black denim pants and the white sweater did nothing to cover the coldness of the winter. Her hair was completely tied neatly up her head with a blue ribbon.

The moment she reaches the door, she finds all of them already there. Yukina was serving a hot tea, some where sitting, Kurama smiled at her and the fire demon leaning uninterested at the wall, who at that moment was attired in a ningenkai clothing.

"Gomen! Am I late?" she asked softly.

"No, you're just in time." Kurama answered her, making a space for her beside him.

Yukina offered her a drink, while Botan skipped beside her with a grin on her face. 

"Keiko! How are you?" she greeted her with a small friendly hug. She smiled back at her bubbly blue haired friend.

Genkai was sitting at the middle of the room sipping a tea and after sometime she started to talk. Koenma, in his older form, was also sitting beside the old woman.

"I want to thank you for coming here, especially to Keiko who came here even at this weather." She started, eyeing her.

Keiko shook her head and blush a little, "It's alright Genkai-san!" 

"The real reason I called you is because…"

Keiko looked around her. It's been months since she lasts been in the place. It was the day when Yusuke bids farewell without her knowing that it's the last time she'll see him. Her head fills up with her bestfriends memory and only a soft touch of Kurama wakes her up on her reverie.

"Daijobu Keiko-chan?" he asked her in whisper.

"I'm fine." She answered him shyly. The good-looking young man looks at her for a moment before dismissing her act.

She doesn't understand much of what Genkai said. The thing she somewhat comprehend was that,

__

'All the youkai in the Human world must return in Makai excluding those who had been given permission to stay. Yukina was the first one given the permission for she is harmless and that Genkai-san requested her company. Kurama and Hiei on the other hand were being questioned if they wanted to stay at the Ningens world or not. Kurama of course take the opportunity to stay, and him being a human born was one easy way.

Hiei on the other hand was being asked too. But the grunt they receive for an answer was still unsettling. The explanation dawned to the rest that the fire demon probably can't decide since his sister was in there while he on the other hand don't want to stay at the ningens domain…'

Although the whole topic did not concern them –human – they were requested –she, Kazuma and Shizuku – because they were consider being part of the assemblage that gladdened her even for a little. 

After the assembly, it was decided that the fire demon would go back to Makai until he decided whether he'd stay there for good or not.

Kurama walks her home, trying to cheer her up. Knowing that the red hair man was able to see through the mask she put, she confided her sadness to him. Before evening came, Kurama had already bidding goodbye to her after strolling her to residence.

*~~~~~*

It was the same cold night when the lone beau came at her room once again. It was a little bit early than usual, but she doesn't mind at all. For the nights they've spent together she don't know how many times she'd already ask if she can see him, but the man grunted as always that it's not yet the proper time.

The familiarity and the inexplicable feeling she had with the man somehow embark her curiosity. And for the nights they've shared-she wailing and the man consoling- made him somehow part of her life.

Sometimes she even believes that the said intruder slowly restore the vivacity of her broken heart. And the only thing that keeps her for her sanitizing thought was that the man never allowed her to see him. Thus, she would assume eventually that maybe in some part of her mind she's getting insane and started to make an invisible friend.

She was still lying on her bed, eyes close, feeling the movement of the interloper as he made his way on his usual place. His arm rested on her stomach as he always did. But this time, the man seems to be in a rather different mood than usual.

"Keiko…" he murmured.

She slowly opened her eyes to the well-known darkness of her berth. Imagining a face that was staring at her, she glances beside her.

"Nani?" she asked softly.

"I'm leaving…"

The said word somewhat brought a shiver on her body and a pernicious pain in her heart. Her eyes started to swell a tear without her knowing it.

"N-nani?" she asked again the second time, her voice trembling a little. 

Even though there's nothing to be upset about, she felt her heart was severing the second time around. She don't know how it was possible, but the thought somehow unnerve her – making her feel week and more downhearted.

She felt a rough hand tracing her face, finger wiping the tears on her cheeks. She abstruse her head on the mans' chest, sobbing like a lost child.

"Shhhh… it's going to be okay." Said the resonant voice of the intruder –stranger.

"Nani?" she asked again, in between her sob and hicks.

"We're going to see each other soon. " he retort with his hard, unemotional voice. 

It was quite ironic, that even if the man don't have a soother voice, she was somehow calmed by it. It seems that even without her seeing him, she was able to read in between his voice. And the touch was more than a reason to know what he's trying to bring out.

She again sniffles a little. She closes her eyes slowly, controlling her sob.

"How can I can I possibly see you when I never even laid my eyes on you?" she asked him in rueful voice.

She could feel the man smile even in darkness. "You'll see, when that time comes, you'll be able to see me."

She nodded a little then cuddle much closer to the warm body against him. 

It was after sometime of solitude when the man tiled her face upward. She opens her eyes on the bleak darkness, meeting no orbs that supposedly in there.

"Hmmm?" she asked in her half-sleep voice.

A silky, zealous kiss answered her. For an instant, Keiko was insensate with startle. The passionate lips of the stranger probe deeper, forcing her mouth to open a little. It was gently sweet but demanding at the same time. With a faint moan, she follows the stranger imperious lip. Two brawny arms pulled her closer to him, one hand caressing her back, the other touching the delicate curves she offers.

After sometime, she find herself underneath a powerful body. The man was quite light but still the pressure of pressing her was a burden. Even still, the pleasure of the heat up body covering her was delightful. She was still wearing her modest sleeping gown, but the erotic touch was more than a cloth away.

A hot gentle lip kisses her neck. The ribbon that ties the opening of the bodice was already undone, exposing a fair silky skin in a more lighted environment.

She moaned a little, just in time for another kiss to settle on her small lips.

The fervent man stop, putting a fast peck on her burning lips. He again traces her face, his finger linger a little longer on his cheeks before he finally immerse on her chest, as if listening to the wild beat of her heart. 

A minute.

She could feel that the man had finally fallen asleep. With a smile on her face she folder her arm around him with a sly smile lining on her face. For the first time after the incident, she was able to sleep untroubled.

*~~~~~*

Two Months Later.

The sakura trees already glided gleefully in the spring wind. People wore a smile of blissfulness on their faces greeting the new season that they cherish.

It was her first year in the University and before her first day ends, she was already one of the most popular fresh man in the campus. It was only fair since she was the friendliest and smartest among them. 

Even at the foremost day, some of her male schoolmate appears to be doing some extra thing to get her attention. Her simple yet lovely face and mild manner seems to lure them toward her. Just like a bee to flower.

However, since she was use with the admiration, she politely speaks to them without a hint of flirtness.

She went home early, carrying her bag in both of her hands. Her short blue skirt sways gracefully in the gale. Her long chestnut hair was tidied back by a white headband, and the rest of it was curled at the end, buoyantly bouncing in the air.

Upon reaching the Towns Park, she stopped momentarily to watch the display of Plum Blossom, which dresses the whole area, glides in the spring air. She closes her eyes mildly as the gushed of wind blows at her, splaying her hair around it with the petals of the scentless plum flower around her.

When she opened her eyes, a familiar figure of a man was leaning on the trunk of the biggest tree on the park. The man was garb into a white shirt underneath a forest green denim jacket, a pair of blue trouser that looks so humanly and a red piece of cloth tied in his forehead. The man stared at her with a neutral expression on her face. With a bored expression, he approaches her casually.

Keiko just stared at him dumfounded since the said man never made a move to talk to her much to wait for her just to say something. She would've taken the situation more lightly if Yusuke was alive and there's something that needs to be said, and that it concerns her. But even then, the young blade would never, EVER, go to her in the first place.

Two cerise eyes stared at her for a moment without a hint of emotion or anything. Much to her surprise, she never even heard the man speaks in her entire association with the group.

But with a complete courtesy her parents thought her, she manages a simple smile to greet the man.

"Konnichiwa! What brought you here?" she asked cheerfully.

A small "hn' answered her. 

Slowly, the yeoman handed her something.

"Here." He said carelessly.

and with that he turn away, leaving. Keiko cautiously opened her hand, just to be accosted by a small serene floweret. Keiko hastily called the departing man.

"Chotto matte!" she called. The man stop halfway glance in the midst, both hands in his pocket.

"Nani?" he asked apathetically.

Keiko's face softens more in a comely smile. "I see now…just like you said." 

Another strong breeze went pass them, plum petal shower around them like a rain.

"Whatever." He answered with a smirk. He turns around fully, facing her in distant.

Keiko's smile broaden, her eyes misted a little. She brush it away with a murmur, "Staying forever?"

"Unless somebody don't want me too." He answered more warmly.

Keiko half run her way toward his arm. Consequent to his arm, she added in a husked. "Arigato!"

The man folded his arm around her, burying his face on the lavender scent hair. "No, I thank you…"

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~~Fin~~


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